Elmoee johnson



(No Model.)

B. JOHNSON.

Apparatus for Sealing Cans, 850.

No. 228,999. Patented June 22, .1880.

M Z. 7: i L a N. PUPIB. FHOWUTNOGRAFMER. WASHINGTON. D C,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELMORE JOHNSON, OF BURLINGTON, VERMONT, ASSIGNOR TO GARDNER S. BLODGETT AND EDWARD P. MANOR, OF SAME PLACE, ONE-THIRD TO EACH.

APPARATUS-FOR SEALING CANS, 86C.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 228,999, dated June 22, 1880.

Application filed April 23, 1880, (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ELMORE JOHNSON, of Burlington, in the county of Chittenden and State of Vermont, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Sealing Cans, &c.; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being 11 ad to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a top-plan view of the apparatus; and Fig. 2, a sectional View of the same, taken on the line 00 00, Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference in the several figures denote the same parts.

My invention relates to that class of apparatus which are employed to exhaust the air from preservingcans, &c., prior to scaling or closing the same 5 and it consists in certain improvements in the means for applying the top or cover to the mouth of the can after the air has been exhausted; and it also consists in a combination of the parts which go to make up the complete apparatus, all which I will now proceed to describe.

In the drawings, a represents a supporting plate, having a shank, b, extending down into a hollow base or standard, 0, and adapted to be moved vertically to a limited extent by means of a lever, d. On top of this supportin g-plate is preferably placed an elastic pad or cushion, e, of rubber or other suitablelnaterial, for the can f, from which the air is to be extracted, to rest upon. Above the can is arranged a stationary glass plate, g, and between the top of the can and this glass plate is interposed an elastic ring, 71., of rubber or other like material. An air-exhaust pipe, 2', is connected to the glass plate by a tight joint, and is provided with a cock, j, by which the air can be admitted when desired.

ing a forked inner end by which to hold the top or cover m, that is to be placed within or over the mouth of the can.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: The can top or cover is inserted in the forked end of the arm Z, and the uncovered canis placed on the supporting-plate e, and the lever d is operated by the foot or otherwise, to force the can up tightly against the elastic ring it and form a tight space around the mouth of the can, into orfrom which space no air can enteror escape except through the exhaust-pipe 2'. An air-pump connected with the pipe 4. is then operated, and the air is exhausted from the can until the gage indicates a certain predetermined pressure, when the cap or cover is placed within or over the mouth of the can by a movement of the arm I, the elasticity of the ring it and the transparent character of the plate 9 permitting the attendant to perform this operation with ease and certainty. The cock j is then opened to relieve the pump and admit air into the chamber under the glass plate, and the clamping-pressure removed from the can, and the latter taken off of the supporting-plate.

Cement or other sealing material may be placed over the joint between the can and its top or cap, if preferred. to more effectually prevent the ingress of air into the can.

By this apparatus the process of hermetic sealing is rendered more practicable than heretofore, and the advantages resulting from the exclusion ot'air from preserved articles obtained by simple and inexpensive contrivances.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination of the glass plate, the elastic ring, and the adjustable arm supported in said elastic ring, substantially as described, for the purpose specified.

2. The combination of the glass plate and the elastic ring, which, with the top of the can, forms an exhz'tusting-chamber communicating with the interior of the can, the exhaustpipe, connected to the glass plate and communicating with the exhausting-chamber, the stop-cock in the exhaust'pipe, the adjustable arm, supported in the elastic ring and observable through the glass plate, and the adjustable supporting-plate for the can, substantially as described.

ELMORE JOHNSON.

Witnesses ALLAN OALHoUN, J. BARNES. 

